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Last two games crucial for Broncos

Denver needs to beat Cleveland, K.C. to lock up AFC's No. 2 seed

By Mike KlisThe Denver Post

Posted:
12/18/2012 11:10:35 PM MST

Updated:
12/18/2012 11:11:19 PM MST

ENGLEWOOD -- Beware the unbeaten run of success.

The Broncos are the 16th team in the past decade to string together nine consecutive wins. Of the previous 15 teams with such a streak, seven didn't win a playoff game, including Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts of 2005 and 2008.

Only three of those 15 regular-season juggernauts went on to win the Super Bowl. The Broncos can be heartened knowing Manning's 2006 Indianapolis Colts were among them.

"Our main agenda is to get better and improve so we can be playing our best football in January," said Broncos coach John Fox.

Here's where it could get tricky for the Broncos: To win it all, they'd have to go '72 Dolphins on the league. Those Miami Dolphins famously went 14-0 in the 1972 regular season.

The Broncos would likely have to win 14 in a row if they are to win the Super Bowl, two more regular season games, then three postseason games.

Maybe that's why so many teams who put together long winning streaks during the regular season have trouble in the postseason tournament: It can't be easy running such a mansion-sized table.On top of their current nine-game winning streak, the Broncos likely need to win their final two games, Sunday against Cleveland (5-9) and Dec. 30 against Kansas City, to capture the AFC's coveted No. 2 playoff seed. The 12-2 Houston Texans are close to clinching the No. 1 playoff seed, but the No. 2 seed would allow the Broncos to receive a first-round playoff bye then host a second-round home game, most likely against the Patriots.

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A No. 3 playoff seed would mean the Broncos playing a first-round home game followed most likely by a second-round game at -- gulp! -- New England.

"Oh man, that's not the way we look at it," said Broncos linebacker Keith Brooking. "That's for you guys to write about. Obviously, we know how good of a football team (the Patriots) are but we've got to take care of our business."

If the Broncos, who have the AFC's second-best record at 11-3, win their final two games, both at home, they guarantee themselves entering the playoffs as a No. 2 seed.

"That's why these last two games are big," said Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil. "We still have goals we're trying to achieve. It's not like we're happy being AFC West champions. We're fighting for something. Every game counts."

No team has finished the season with at least 14 consecutive wins since the 2003 Patriots won their final 15 games. Here are two reasons why the Broncos can finish 14-0:

Manning: No one has more experience in trying to win it all in a season with a lengthy winning streak than this guy. Of those 16 teams in the past decade that have strung together at least nine consecutive wins, he's led five of them.

Denver's D: Even after struggling through the first 5½ games of this season, the Broncos rank No. 2 against the run; No. 4 in total defense and No. 5 in scoring defense.

Manning has never had such a strong defense on his side. In his lone Super Bowl title season of 2006, his Colts' defense ranked 21st in total yards; 23rd in scoring and 32nd, or last, against the run.

With Manning on one side and a stout defense on the other, the Broncos have gone 9-0 since losing at New England Oct. 7. All they have to do now is be 14-0 by the night of the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Feb. 3.

Saulsberry suspended

Quentin Saulsberry, a rookie center who has been on the Broncos' practice squad all season, was suspended four games by the NFL for violating the league's performance enhancement policy.

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